Propelled ball game board



Nov. 15, 1960 J. J. BUSH 2,960,339

PROPELLED BALL GAME BOARD Filed Nov. 5, 1958 2 sheets-sheen IN VENTOR.

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ATTORNEY J J. BUSH PROPELLED BALL GAME BOARD Nov. 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 5, 1958 Mafia; ax, ATTORNEY m H M Z W 9 M w W F j W 751;: w &/ n T mil NO. x u I; 3 QM 7 l Unite States Patent PROPELLED BALL GAME BOARD JohnJ. Bush, P.O. Box 674, Bonifay, Fla. I Filed Nov. 3, 1958, Ser. No. 771,333

11 Claims. (Cl. 273-119) This invention relates to a propelled ball game board.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved propelled ball game board.

It is another general object to provide a propelled ball game board in which each player must constantly and rapidly take offensive and defensive actions.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a game board arrangement for use by opposing players wherein means are provided for each player at his respective end of the board for protecting his goal and for propelling a ball toward the opponents goal at the opposite end and wherein means are also provided for each player so operable in the opponents end of the board as to interfere with the goal guarding activities of the opponent when skilfully operated, but which may, if not skilfully operated, or if chance so dictates, interfere with the scoring of a goal by the ball so propelled.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the game board;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the game board, certain parts being broken away to illustrate the underlying position of certain connecting arm elements;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view looking toward one end of the game board along the lines 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the game board;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a part of the game board including certain paddle supporting elements, the view being taken generally along the lines 5-5 of Fig. 2 and showing the means for slidably mounting certain of the paddle elements;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view along the lines 6-6 of Fig. 2, the view showing the means by which the ball-deflecting shield member is slidably mounted to the board.

The game board 1 is adapted to be used with a ball 2 by two players, each player being located in playing position at respectively opposite ends of the board and controlling the respective ball propelling paddle elements thereat.

With particular reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the game board 1 includes a body member 3, supported on legs 37, and having a playing surface 4 which is bounded by a fence 5, the fence being adapted to retain the ball 2 on the playing surface 4 within the confines thereof. The playing surface 4 is divided by center line mark 6 into opposite end surface portions 7 and 8, and is interrupted at the outer end of the respective portions and adjacent to end fences 19 and 20 by body member ball-engaging end scoring pockets or goals 9, 10 and 11, and 12, 13 and 14 respectively, and further interrupted adjacent to the respective opposite side fences 15 and 16 and in opposite surface portions by ball-engaging scoring pockets or goals 17 and 18.

Movably mounted on member 3 at respective surface portions 7 and 8 are ball-deflecting shield members 21 and 22 respectively, the shield members being adapted to interfere with the access of the ball 2 to the scoring pockets at their respective end portions, and being manually controlled in their movement adjacent to the surface portion opposite thereto. Thus, shield member 21 which is mounted on member 3 in slot 23 and slidably movable over the surface portion 7 is joined by means of an underlying connecting arm 24 to paddle element 25 which is located adjacent to the opposite surface portion 8. Paddle element 25 is mounted in slot 27 on body member side extension 26 and is slidably movable along the side extension 26 adjacent to surface portion 8. Similarly, shield member 22 is joined by means of underlying connecting arm 28 to paddle element 29, the shield member 22 being mounted in the slot 30 of body member 3 and slidably movable over the surface portion 8 whereas the paddle element 29 is mounted on opposite side extension 31 of body member 3 in slot 32 and is slidably movable along the side extension 31 adjacent to portion 7. In addition to pivotal paddle elements 25 and 29 which may be manually moved by the respective players for purposes of controlling the location of the respective shield members 21 and 22 and for purposes of propelling a ball from different locations along the respective side fences, each player has another ball-propelling paddle element which is slidably mounted on a side extension adjacent to the players respective surface portion. Thus, paddle element 33 is mounted on side extension 31 in slot 34 and is slidable therealong, the paddle element 33 being disposed adjacent to surface portion 8 and on the opposite side of the portion 8 as compared to the side location of paddle element 25. Paddle element 35 is manually operated by the same player as is paddle element 29, the element 35 being slidably mounted on side extension 26 in slot 36 and being movable along the side extension 26 adjacent to portion 7, the ball-propelling element 35 being further disposed adjacent to surface portion 7 and on the opposite side of the surface portion 7 as compared to the side location paddle element 29.

The shield members 21 and 22 are generally V-shaped and each has laterally and rearwardly extending opposite ball-deflecting arms, such as arms 38 and 39 of ball-deflecting shield member 22. These arms are interconnected at their outer ends by a cross member, such as cross member 40 of shield member 22. The cross member 40 has an upstanding ridge extension 41 that is adapted to retard, but not prevent, the entry of ball 2 into caging zone 42, the zone 42 being defined as between the respective arms 38 and 39 and the cross member 41]. The caging zone 4-2 forms a movable ball-engaging scoring pocket which is accessible to a ball 2 from the rear of the shield member 2 2. The inner ends 43 and 44 of respective arms 38 and 39 of shield member 22 are forwardly spaced from a central portion of the cross member 41} by rest plate 45 which connects the inner ends of the arms and a central portion of cross member 40, the plate 45 forming a slidable mounting for shield member 22 and rigidly attaching to underlying arm 28 by means of rivets 4-6 and 47 which pass through slot 30. Balldeflecting member 21 is identical to member 22, the former having a caging zone or movable ball-engaging scoring pocket 48 defined by cross member 49 and balldefiecting arms 50 and 51. Cross member 49 has a ridge extension 52 which functions in the same manner as ridge extension 40 of member 22 in retarding rearward entry of ball 2 into caging zone 48, the cross member 49 and the arms being securely connected to slidable rest plate 53. The rest plate 53 is rigidly connected through slot 23 to arm 24 by means of rivets 54 and 55, as is best shown in Fig. 6.

As previously indicated, the physical location of a respective shielding member relative to its surface portion is determined by manually controlling the physical location of a paddle element adjacent to the surface portion opposite thereto. Thus, shield member 22 is disposed at surface portion 8 and connected through slot 30 to arm 28. Arm 28 extends from beneath the slot 30 of body member 3 to an underlying position with respect to slot 32, slot 32 being disposed adjacent to a side of surface portion 7 in side extension 31. The arm 28 is connected to paddle rest plate 56 by means of rivets 57 and 58 and paddle element 29 is pivotally mounted on rest plate 56 by means of rivet 59. The connecting arm 25, the shield member 22 and paddle element 35 are so connected and disposed relative to one another as to cause the member 22 to be slidable in the same direction from one end of slot 30 to the other when paddle element 29 is manually moved from one end of its slot 32 to the other end thereof. It is apparent that slots 32 and 30 are of the same length. Shield member 21, arm 24 and paddle element 25 are similarly connected and slidably disposed. Connecting arm 24 is connected to paddle element 25 by means of rest plate 62, rivets 60' and 61 disposed through slot 27 and interconnecting paddle rest plate 62 and arm 24, and connecting rivet 63 which pivotally attaches paddle element 25 to rest plate 62.

Paddle elements 33 and 35 are slidably mounted on opposite side extensions 31 and 26 respectively. Paddle element 33 is pivotally attached to top paddle rest plate 64 by means of rivet 65, the plate 64 being secured to bottom plate 66 through slot 34 by means of rivets 67 and 6 8. Paddle element 35 is similarly mounted on opposite side extension 26, the paddle element 35 being pivotally secured to top paddle rest plate 69 by means of rivet 70, top rest plate 69 being attached to bottom plate 71 through slot 36 by means of rivets 72 and 73 as best shown in Fig. 5.

7 As illustrated in Fig. with respect to paddle element 35, each paddle element has a handle portion 74 and a ball propelling or bat portion 75 that extends over a side fence, such as side fence 16, the bat portion 75 extending outwardly over the fence 16 and thereafter downwardly to a position adjacent to the playing surface 4 so as to be engageable with ball 2.

The respective scoring pockets are formed by cutting out appropriate portions of the body member 3, so as to interrupt the playing surface 4 and thereby form recessed portions therein. Plates 76 and 77 are so shaped as to underlie the respective scoring pockets at the respective opposite end surface portion 8 and 7 and are attached to the bottom surface 78 of member 3 in said underlying relationship so as to form a retaining bottom for the pockets.

In the process of playing a propelled ball game through the use of the game board 1 the two opposing players may stand at respective opposite ends of board 1. The first player, standing adjacent to end fence 20, manually controls the operation and relative disposition of paddle elements 25 and 33 along the respective opposite sides of surface portion 8. As a consequence of being in control of the disposition of paddle element 25 he also controls the disposition of shield member 21 at the surface portion 7 opposite to him. The second player at the other end controls paddle elements 29 and 35 and consequently the other shield member 22.

The first player may serve from slightly indented serving spot 79 by grasping the handle of paddle element 33 and striking the ball 2 with the bat end thereof and thereby propel the ball 2 over the surface portion S, across the mark 6 and over portion 7, the object of the first players actions being to motivate the ball in a direction such as to ultimately engage within one of the scoring pockets 9, 10, 11 or 18. These pockets may have scoring values of varying degrees. The second player, adjacent surface portion 7, attempts to prevent the ball 2 from being propelled into one of these pockets through his control of the paddle elements 29 and 3S. Shield element 21 over which the second player has no control nevertheless may aid the second player in his defense since it provides a barrier or shield for the pockets at the extreme end of portion 7 or, if skilfully operated by the first player, it may interfere with the defense of the second player. Should the ball strike member 21 it may be deflected within the range of one of the paddles 29 or 35 over which the second player hascontrol. As such, the second player may strike the ball 2 with either paddle element 29 or 35 when it comes within striking range of either of these elements, their range being determined by their bat arm sweep and then longitudinal mobility at the respective opposite sides of portion 7. In this defensive manner the second player may propel the ball 2 back toward portion 8 and toward his goals 12, 13, 14 and 17.

Should the first player be successful, during his service or during the subsequent offensive and defensive movements of paddle elements 33 and 25 and shield member 21 by him, in propelling the ball 2 behind the shield element 21 and beyond the striking range of his opponents paddle elements 29 and 35, he may guide the ball into one of the respective end scoring pockets 9, 10 or 11 by manipulation of shield member 21. Thus the first player may move the paddle element 25 forward in slot 27 and cause shield member 21 to move rearwardly in its surface portion 7 and to strike the ball with its cross member 49. By thus striking the ball with the cross member, it is propelled toward the end pockets and may be received in one of them for scoring purposes. End fence 19 has angled fence portions '80 and 81 which aid in directing the ball into scoring pockets 9 and 11 respectively. Upstanding peg 82 and horizontally disposed pegs 83 and 84 function to deflect the ball from their respective pockets and thereby cause greater skill to be exercised in propelling the ball into the respective pockets. Should the ball proceed up and over the ridge extension 52 of rearwardly disposed cross member 49 and thereby fall into scoring zone 48 through the actions of either player, a bonus score is recorded for the player not in control of the deflector 21. It is thus important for the player in control of the deflector to keep the deflector control paddle advanced to dispose his deflector beyond the ball, lest his opponent have a shot for the bonus pocket. The advancing of this paddle, of course, at the same time, tends to open a path to the goal for the opponent and, therefore, makes it unremunerative for the guarding player to merely bring his paddles back in front of his goals. Furthermore, a scoring pocket 17 is provided which must be guarded by paddle 33. Accordingly, if the player controlling paddles 29 and 35 is going to strike the ball, his opponent must position his paddles 25 and 33 generally forwardly. By this arrangement the game is fast, and neither player can set up any stationary effective defense but, in order either to attack or defend successfully, must keep his paddles almost constantly in motion to counter the paddle and deflector movements of his adversary.

Once a score is made by one player, the other starts again by serving from his serving spot 79 or 85 and the offensive and defensive maneuvering of the respective elements and members is resumed. The scoring pockets at the outer end of surface portion 8 have pegs 86, 87 and 88 which are disposed in a manner similar to pegs 83, 82 and 84 respectively, angled fence portions 89 and 9t? functioning to guide the ball into recess pockets 14 and 12 respectively.

While only a certain preferred embodiment of this invention has been shown and described by way of illustration, many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and it is, therefore, desired that it be understood that it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed as new and what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A propelled ball game board comprising a body member having a playing surface with opposite end surface portions and respective ball-engageable scoring means at each of said opposite surface portions, a first ball-deflecting member disposed at one of said portions and a second ball-deflecting member disposed at the other of said portions, manually movable manually operable paddle means disposed adjacent said one portion operable to propel a ball on said one portion toward said second ball-deflecting member and said scoring means at said other portion, means interconnecting said paddle means and said second ball-deflecting member for moving said second deflecting member over said other portion in response to manual movement of said paddle means, second manually movable manually operable paddle means disposed adjacent said other portion operable to propel the ball on said other portion toward said first ball-deflecting member and scoring means at said one portion, and means interconnecting said second paddle means and said first ball-deflecting member for moving said first deflecting member over said one portion in response to manual movement of said second paddle means.

2. A propelled ball game board comprising a body member having a playing surface with opposite end surface portions and respective ball-engageable scoring means at each of said opposite surface portions, a first bah-deflecting member disposed at one of said portions and a second ball-deflecting member disposed at the other of said portions, means connecting with said first deflecting member for moving same over said one portion and being manually operated adjacent said other portion, means connecting with said second deflecting member for moving same over said other portion and being manually operated adjacent said one portion, respective manually operated means adjacent each of said portions for propelling a ball on said playing surface portions, and respective means interconnecting said first and second deflecting members with oppositely disposed respective ones of said manually operated means operative to impart movements of each deflecting member to the propelling means at the respectively opposite end surface portion.

3. A propelled ball game board comprising a body member having a playing surface with opposite end portions, said body member further having respective ball-engageable scoring means at the outer end of each of said end portions, a first ball deflecting member disposed at one of said portions between said outer ends and having ball-engageable scoring means accessible to a ball from the rear of said first member and a second ball deflecting member disposed on the other of said portions between said outer ends and having ball-engageable scoring means accessible to the ball from the rear of said second member; means manually controlled adjacent the one portion for propelling said ball on said one portion toward said outer end scoring means at said other portion and for moving said second deflecting member over said other portion, means manually controlled adjacent said other portion for propelling the ball on said other portion toward said outer end scoring means at said one portion and for moving said first deflecting member over said one portion.

4. A propelled ball game board comprising a body member having a playing surface with opposite end portions, said body member further having respective ball engageable scoring means at the outer ends of each of said end portions and respective ball-engageable scoring means at each of said end portions spaced from the outer end thereof, said spaced scoring means being disposed on respectively opposite sides of said playing surface, a first ball deflecting member disposed at one of said engageable scoring means accessible to said ball from the rear of said first member, a second ball deflecting member disposed at the other of said portions and having as a integral part thereof ball-engageable scoring means accessible to said ball from the rear of said second member, means manually controlled adjacent said one portion for moving said second deflecting member and its integral scoring means over said other portion and means manually controlled adjacent said other portion for moving said one deflecting member and its integral scoring means over said one portion, manually controlled means for propelling said ball on said one portion toward said spaced and outer end scoring means at said other portion and manually controlled means for propelling said ball on said other portion toward said spaced and outer scoring means at said one portion.

5. A propelled ball game board comprising a body member having a playing surface with opposite end surface portions and respective ball-engageable scoring means at each of said opposite surface portions, fence means bounding said playing surface, a first movable ball-deflecting member disposed at one of said portions and a second movable ball-deflecting member disposed at the other of said portion, manually operable paddle means manually movable along a side of said one portion for propelling said ball on said playing surface, means interconnecting said paddle means with said second deflecting member for moving said second deflecting member over said other portion in response to manual movement of said paddle means along said side of said one portion, manually operated means adjacent to the other side of said one portion for propelling said ball on said playing surface; manually operable second paddle means manually movable along a side of said other portion for propelling said ball on said playing surface, means interconnecting said second paddle means with said first deflecting member for moving said first deflecting member over said one portion in response to manual movement of said second paddle means along said side of said other portion, and manually operated means adjacent to the other side of said second portion for propelling said ball on said playing surface.

6. A propelled ball game board comprising a body member having a playing surface with opposite end surface portions and respective ball-engageable scoring means at the outer end of each of said opposite surface portions, fence means bounding said playing surface, a first movable ball-deflecting member disposed at one of said portions and a second movable ball-deflecting member disposed at the other of said portions, manually controlled means respectively disposed at and movable along opposite sides of said one portion for propelling said ball on said one portion toward said scoring means at said other portion; manually controlled means respectively disposed at and movable along opposite sides of said other portion for propelling said ball on said other portion toward said scoring means at said one portion, means connecting with said first deflecting member for moving said first member over said one portion toward and away from said other portion, said connecting means being connected to and operatively responsive to movement of a respective one of said manually controlled propelling means disposed at one of said sides of said other portion, and another means connecting with said second deflecting member for moving said second member over said other portion toward and away from said one portion, said other connecting means being connected to and operatively responsive to movement of a respective one of said manually controlled propelling means disposed at one of said sides of said one portion.

7. A propelled ball game board comprising a body member having a playing surface with opposite end portions, said body member further having respective ballengageable scoring pockets at the outer end of each of portions and having as an integral part thereof ballsaid end portions and respective ball-engageable pockets spaced from said outer end of each of said end portions, fence means bounding said playing surface, a first movable ball deflecting member disposed at one of said portions and comprising ball-engageable scoring means accessible to said ball from the rear of said first member and a second movable ball-deflecting member disposed at the other of said portions and comprising ballengageable scoring means accessible to said ball from the rear of said second member, a manually operable ball-propelling element manually movable along a side of said one portion, a member connecting said ball-propelling element to said second deflecting member operable to move said second deflecting member over said other portion in response to movement of said element along said side of said one portion, and manually operated means adjacent to the other side of said one portion for propelling said ball on said playing surface; a second manually operable ball-propelling element manually movable along a side of said other portion, a member connecting said second ball-projecting element to said first deflecting member operable to move said first deflecting member over said one portion in response to movement of said second ball-propelling element along said side of said other portion, and manually operated means adjacent to the other side of said other portion for propelling said ball on said playing surface.

8. A propelled ball game board comprising a body member having a playing surface with opposite end portions, said body member further having respective ballengageable scoring pockets at the outer end of each of said end portions and a respective ball-engageable pocket spaced from said outer end of each of said end portions, fence means bounding said playing surface, a first movable ball-defiecting shield member adapted to interfere with access of said ball to one of said pockets at the outer end of one of said portions, said first shield member having ball-engageable scoring means accessible to said ball from the rear thereof, said first shield member being movable over said one portion toward and away from said other portion, a second movable ball-deflecting shield member adapted to interfere with access of said ball to one of said pockets at the outer end of the other of said portions, said second shield member having ball-engageable scoring means accessible to said ball from the rear thereof, said second shield member being movable over said other portion toward and away from said one portion, a first pair of paddle elements respectively disposed at and movable along opposite sides of said one surface portion and a second pair of paddle elements respectively disposed at and movable along opposite sides of said other surface portion, means connecting with one of said paddle elements of said first pair for transmitting motion imparted thereto along its respective side to said second shield member whereby said second member moves over said other of said surface portions, and means connecting with. one of said paddle elements of said second pair for transmitting motion imparted thereto along its respective side to said first shield member whereby said first member moves over said one of said surface portions.

9. A propelled ball game board comprising a body member having opposite side extensions and an elongated playing surface with opposite end surface portions between said side extensions, said body member having a respective slot through each said end portion surface, fence means bounding said playing surface, said body member further having respective ball-engageable scoring pockets at the outer end of each of said end portions and a respective ball-engageable pocket spaced from said outer end of each of said end portions, a first and second shield member respectively movable at one and the other of said portions in respective ones of said slots and each having opposite laterally and rearwardly extending arms and a cross member interconnecting the outer ends of said arms, said cross member and arms defining a ball-engageable scoring means accessible to said ball from the rear of the respective shield member, a first pair of paddle elements adapted to propel a ball on said playing surface and respectively mounted on respective said opposite side extensions and movable therealong adjacent to said one surface portion, a second pair of paddle elements adapted to propel a ball on said playing surface and respectively mounted on respective said opposite side extensions and movable therealong adjacent to said other surface portion; an arm extending beneath said playing surface rigidly connected to said second member and to one of said paddle elements of said first pair and another arm extending beneath said playing surface rigidly connected to said first member and to one of said paddle elements of said second pair.

10. A propelled ball game board comprising a body member having slotted opposite side extensions and an elongated playing surface with slotted opposite end surface portions between said side extensions, fence means bounding said playing surface, said body member further having respective ball-engageable scoring pockets at the outer end of each of said surface portions and a respective ball-engageable pocket spaced from said outer end of each of said surface portions, a first and a second shield member respectively movably mounted at one and the other of said portions in a respective slot and each having opposite laterally and rearwardly extending arms and a cross member interconnecting the outer ends of said arms, said cross member and arms defining a ball-engageable scoring means accessible to said ball from the rear of the respective shield member, a first pair of paddle elements adapted to propel a ball on said playing surface and comprising respective mounting means mounting said paddle elements respectively adjacent to said one surface portion in a respective side extension slot adjacent to said one portion, a second pair of paddle elements adapted to propel a ball on said playing surface and comprising respective mounting means mounting said paddle elements respectively adjacent to said other surface portion in a respective side extension slot adjacent to said other portion, an arm extending beneath said playing surface rigidly connected to said second shield member and to the mounting means for one of said paddle elements of said first pair, and another arm extending beneath said playing surface rigidly connected to said first shield member and to the mounting means for one of said paddle elements of said second pair.

11. A propelled ball game board comprising a body member having a playing surface adapted and arranged to carry a playing ball rollably thereon, said surface having opposite end portions, respective scoring means at each end portion adapted and arranged to be engaged by the ball on said surface, a respective ball-deflecting shield member disposed in guarding position in front of the scoring means at each said end portion, first remote operating means at one said end portion for moving the shield member at the opposite end portion, said operating means comprising a ball-propelling paddle permanently connected thereto and movable therewith and disposed at said one end portion operable to propel the ball from said one end portion toward the shield member and scoring means at said other end portion, and second remote operating means at said other end portion for moving the shield member at said one end portion, said second remote operating means comprising a second ball-propelling pad dle permanently connected thereto and movable therewith and disposed at said other end portion operable to propel the. ball from said other end portion toward the shield member and scoring means at said one end portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

